search engine

American  

[surch en-juhn] / ˈsɜrtʃ ˌɛn dʒən /

noun

Digital Technology.

• search engines
  plural

1. a computer program that searches documents, especially on the World Wide Web, for a specified word or words and provides a list of documents in which they are found.

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search engine British  

noun

1. computing a service provided on the internet enabling users to search for items of interest

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search engine Cultural  

1. Web sites or software that search the Internet for documents that contain a key word, phrase, or subject that is specified by the user to the search engine. Each engine has its own method of searching for information.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• search engines
  plural

Etymology

Origin of search engine

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

search engine

The Beijing-based search engine provider, sometimes called China's Google, has for years heralded the potential of AI in the country.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

“Google would argue that the search engine is in many ways the way people are accessing the language model and Gemini, right?”

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026

Links to the chats, some of which included personal and work information, would show up if a user of a search engine like Google used a site-specific search term.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

It alleged Google pressured phone makers using Android to pre-install its search engine and Google Chrome browser -- essentially shutting out rivals -- and ordered it to pay a 4.3-billion-euro fine.

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

So I say, "I've got a search engine open. Pick a topic."

From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements